The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-11-03
terial and shape now essential in naval
architecture. Indeed, the dimensions of
tho orb ora now ,hose of q frst class sea

terial and shape now essential in naval
architecture. Indeed, the dimensions OF
the ark are now those of first class sea
steamer for freight, and are the standard
proportions in the English Admiralty
Office. 1t vas long, narrow vessel, evil
IDENTIFY designed for speed and long voy-
age. Had it been made only to start
from given point and float about for
$50 days and then ground at no great
distance from the point of departure, it
would have been shaped heavy and
square.
The timbers for such vessel Of length,
over 500 feet, required timber of contin>
/ uous length and great strength. The
cypress was entirely too brittle for the
purpose. Its knees and ribs would
require such wood as the live oak, grown
near the sea, used to the storms, and ofa
grain running every way, bearing equally
we'll strain from every direction. Large
quantities of pitch and tar would be
required for pitching it heavily to the
within and without. The word "gopher," :"
means "pitch," "pine," and it is proba-
BILE that the gopher wood was the wood
of the long.leaf pine. 1 need not say
that either of the Carolinas could have
furnished the materials in abundance.
That the ark was built somewhat
inland for convenience of timber, is
probable. Yet not very far, as the prin-
cipal weight of its cargo was to be gram
inivorous stock, and large quantities of
dried herbage, both of which was to come
from meadow lands.
The breaking up of the deep, &C., at
the time of the deluge, would not imply
necessarily any very great change in the
conformation of the continents, nor in
the sea currents. We must also remem-
Der that the Lord at the creation had in
view the possibility of the flood, as we'll
as of the "fall," and arranged according
ly. When the ark was lifted up, and as
it is so grandly said, "went upon the
face of the waters" it started due East if
it started from near Charleston. 1t
would presently strike the gulf stream.
Floating on that sea current it would
take a Northerly direction until it
reached the 10th parallel, and then
would go due East, and, as many q help
less craft since, would come within sight
of Spain and Africa. But those coasts
being submerged, there would be nothing
to defect the current, but it would pass
over the plateaus of Spain, into the Med.
iterranean, across the lower part Of
Greece, then over the plains of Asia
Minor, and, still holding the same paral.
lei, strike Mount Ararat The distance
from Charleston to Mount Ararat is 131
degrees of latitude, say S,515 miles. The
time the ark was on the water was one
hundred and fifty days, or $500 hours.
Of Cape Hatteras the gulf stream has q
velocity of two miles an hour; this
would leave very little to be overcome, il
anything, when we allow for the unin.
terrupted flow which the current then
had.
It is not likely that animals would be
landed in any other than the latitude tc
which they we're accustomed. They
would determine the direction of the
Ark, The pathway of the ark under
this supposition had blessing in it
Between the 3Oth aud the 10th parallels
have sprung the great philosophers, war.
riors, statesmen and discoverers of the
race, including the Saviour, St. Paul, St
John and the Churches of Asia Minor.
I shall not stress the fact that by the
Providence of God We find Methodisn
begun at Charleston and Savannah ir
the first hymn book ever published by
Mr.. Wesley also in the Moravians, ir
Charles Wesley, and in the labors of Mr.
Whitfield. There certainly would be 9
fitness in starting it somewhere near the
original site of Eden.
Now, ifany one differs from this view
I am content. I do not press it. Ileavt
that to you South Carolinians.
New Orleans, La.